ENGLISH FOR ACADEMIC AND PROFESSIONAL PURPOSES

FIRST QUARTER PROJECT

GROUP 1

“ Do you agree that the

Philippines is Asia’s deadliest
place to defend the
environment?”
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FIRST QUARTER PROJECT

STEM 11 - GRAPES

THESIS STATEMENT
The Philippines as a country whose classified as the most dangerous place
among all countries in Asia, in terms of defending the environment.

SENTENCE OUTLINE
I. The factors that lead this to occur in the country.
A. The Lack of control and action from the people in power towards the
country’s environmental situation.
B. Failure in implementing the freedom of speech for everyone.
C. Discrimination and harassment towards advocates and activists in this
country.
D. There are laws like Anti-Terrorism Act have been abused against
activists.

II. The effects of this phenomenon on the nation.

A. The fear towards people who would want to stand for what they think
is right.
B. The culture of violence and absence of accountability that can
endanger and imprint fear for their own lives.
C. The abuse of power by private companies towards the defenders as
normal citizens.
D. Impunity remains the norm as the overwhelming majority of killings
have not been resolved.

III. Ideas that can help address the problem

A. Making the ideas and facts of experts in the field of environment, be
heard and prioritized.
B. Implementing a new bill in Congress aims to address shortcomings.
C. Fostering political will to bring about meaningful change.
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PARTS OF ESSAY:

INTRODUCTION
The Philippines, known for its remarkable natural beauty and biodiversity, faces
significant difficulties in safeguarding its environment. It has earned the unfortunate
reputation of being one of the worst places in Asia for environmental protection. This
essay explores the various factors contributing to these challenges, spanning from
ecological vulnerabilities to socioeconomic constraints and political barriers. But does
this really have an alarming effect in our country?

BODY
Unquestionably, the Philippines has fallen short in harnessing its environmental
riches, including minerals, coastal areas, and marine resources. In year 2022, 11
environmental defenders were killed, making the Philippines the deadliest country for
environmental activists in Asia. (Aspinwall, n.d.) This has prompted environmental
activists to advocate for the environment's defense. Regrettably, the Philippines is also
infamous as Asia's most perilous place for environmental defenders, being ranked the
fifth most dangerous country for them worldwide. A significant factor in this is the issue
of red-tagging, where environmental advocates like Prince Turtugo were labeled as
'communist' (Human Rights Watch, 2023) This situation has persisted from the time of
former President Rodrigo Duterte to the present Marcos administration, with the
government often subjecting activists to such labels. (Aspinwall, n.d.). There are many
factors that lead this to occur in the country and these are the followings: Lack of
control and action from the people in power towards the country's environmental
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FIRST QUARTER PROJECT
situation, failure in implementing the freedom of speech for everyone, discrimination
and harassment towards advocates and activists in this country, laws like Anti-Terrorism
Act have been abused against activists. These are the negative effects of this
phenomenon on the nation: the fear towards people who would want to stand for what
they think is right, the culture of violence and absence of accountability that can
endanger and imprint fear for their own lives, the abuse of power by private companies
towards the defenders as normal citizens, impunity remains the norm as the
overwhelming majority of killings have not been resolved. However, there are some
ideas that can help address the problem. First, making the ideas and facts of experts in
the field of environment, be heard and prioritized. Second, implementing a new bill in
Congress aims to address shortcomings. Lastly, fostering political will to bring about
meaningful change.

Counter-argument: Yet, the number of deaths is declining, which suggests that

this phenomenon will lessen as time passes if we fail to recognize its negative impacts.
Even if the Philippines has environmental issues, some could contest that things are not
as bad as they seem. The nation has made some progress, creating protected areas
and implementing environmental regulations, for example. Countless passionate
environmentalists and conservation organizations are also making great efforts to save
the country’s natural resources.

Rebuttal: However, the reports are blatantly saying that the Philippines falls
short of its Asian counterparts concerning environmental performance, and it is
impossible to disregard the large number of environmental activists who have died in
the country. Environmental activists in the Philippines face dangers for speaking out
against ecological damage, as shown by their ranking as the fifth most dangerous
country for environmentalists, worldwide. Press freedom restrictions stifle these
dissenting voices even more. Though there may be occasional environmental victories,
overall trends show that the country continues to have difficulty achieving its ecological
goals. The Philippines’ environmental problems still need to be addressed, and this will
require more ambitious legislation, better protections,

and greater implication on freedom of speech. An alarm is what to look for, not
complacency, depending on the situation.

CONCLUSION
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In conclusion, the Philippines’ evolution into Asia’s most dangerous place for
environmental defenders is multifaceted, influenced by unique ecological vulnerabilities,
socioeconomic intricacies, and political barriers. Despite these challenges, the country
holds immense environmental significance, playing a critical role in global biodiversity
and climate change mitigation. Protecting and conserving its diverse ecosystems is not
just a national imperative but a global responsibility requiring collaboration between
local and international stakeholders to address the life-threatening challenges it
confronts.

CITATIONS
INTERNET:
• Cabico, Gaea Katreena. N.d. “For 10 th Straight Year, Philippines Remains Asia’s
Deadliest Place to Defend the Environment.” Philstar.com. Accessed October 17, 2023.
https://www.philstar.com/headlines/climate-and-environment/2023/09/13/2295970/10t
h-straight-year-philippines-remains-asias-deadliest-place-defend-environment?
fbclid=IwAR2-9mgMeyeQplIAapiqozMfSh7IbIQK3NpiF-rpgjI9SHoIm6Obs4nylLg.

• “Geography and Natural Resources.” N.d. Hearts Philippines & Then Some.
https://philippines-atbp.jimdofree.com/geography-resources/#:~:text=The
%20Philippines%20is%20rich%20in.

‌• Job. 2023. “PH Is 5th Most Dangerous Country for Environment Defenders:
Report.” ABS-CBN News. ABS-CBN News. September 13, 2023. https://news.abs-
cbn.com/news/09/13/23/ph-is-5th-most-dangerous-country-for-environment-defenders-
report.

‌• “PH Deadliest Nation in Asia for Environmental Defenders for a Decade –

Study.” N.d. Cnn. Accessed October 17, 2023.
https://www.cnnphilippines.com/news/2023/9/13/ph-deadliest-nation-environmental-
defenders-2022.html?ssp=1&darkschemeovr=1&setlang=en-PH&safesearch=moderate.

• “Who Were the 11 Philippines Environmental Defenders Killed in 2022?” 2023.

Mongabay Environmental News. September 21, 2023.
https://news.mongabay.com/2023/09/who-were-the-11-philippines-environmental-
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defenders-killed-in-2022/?ssp=1&darkschemeovr=1&setlang=en-
PH&safesearch=moderate.